When it comes to bizarre creatures hiding out in remote, rugged landscapes, the Barmanou is basically Pakistan’s version of Bigfoot. This strange beast allegedly wanders the isolated regions of the Chitral and Karakoram mountains.
For generations, stories about this hairy wildman have floated around. Some folks swear they’re legit. Others dismiss them as tall tales—kind of like the bedtime stories parents use to keep kids in check.
But in the 1990s, zoologist Jordi Magraner shook things up. His expeditions and findings put the Barmanou on the radar of cryptozoologists everywhere.
In this article:
What Is a Barmanou?
In northern Pakistan’s Khowar, Kalash, and Kohistani communities, the Barmanou has been part of local folklore for centuries.
It wasn’t really known outside the region until recently. Still, according to these ancient stories, the Barmanou is a bipedal humanoid with both human and ape-like characteristics.
In some legend variants, the Barmanou has supernatural powers—including the ability to change forms (shapeshifting). It’s also known for its guttural sounds (which locals believe are tied to some sort of a primitive voice box).
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Barmanou (also spelled Barmanu) |
| Meaning | “Big Hairy One” (from Khowar) |
| Region | Chitral, Karakoram (northern Pakistan); also reported in Nuristan, Afghanistan |
| First Documented | Recorded in local folklore; formally researched starting in the 1990s by Jordi Magraner |
| Description | Bipedal, 6-8 feet tall, covered in dark brown/black hair, strong odor of decay, muscular build |
| Distinct Features | Sometimes wears animal skins; emits guttural sounds from a primitive voice box |
| Similar Cryptids | Bigfoot, Yeti, Minnesota Iceman, and Almas; possibly a relic hominid |
| Behavior | Nocturnal, solitary, avoids human contact; sometimes interacts with livestock; rumored to abduct women |
| Sightings | Reported by shepherds and villagers in Chitral and neighboring regions; associated with large footprints |
| Expeditions | Investigated in the 1990s by Jordi Magraner; footprint evidence and eyewitness testimonies collected |
| Evidence | No definitive physical evidence (bones, photos, samples) has been found; only eyewitness reports and footprints |
One of the most disturbing aspects of the Barmanou legend involves its reputation for abducting women. This theme of kidnapping shows up in “wildman” stories across cultures. In fact, locals believe that these abductions are most likely the creature’s attempts to mate with human women.
This behavior has drawn comparisons to other cryptids—like the Almas in Central Asia and the Yeti of the Himalayas. All three may be remnants of ancient, human-like species that somehow survived in the world’s most remote areas.
Related: Tatzelwurm: The Alpine Cryptid You’ve Never Heard Of
Now, there are some aspects that set the Barmanou apart from its Himalayan and American counterparts. For example, the Pakistani wildman wears animal skins draped over its body. It’s also very muscular, covered in dark hair, and emanates a strong odor of decay.
What Does “Barmanou” Mean?
The word Barmanou (or Barmanu) has deep roots in the culture of northern Pakistan. Derived from Khowar, it translates to “big hairy one,” which fits with the creature’s description.
Interestingly, this term isn’t just limited to Khowar—it’s also used in languages like Shina, Pashto, and Kashmiri. Coincidence or not, all these languages are spoken in the remote mountain areas.
Alleged Sightings and Investigations
The 1990s were a pivotal decade for Barmanou’s research. Largely due to the relentless efforts of Jordi Magraner—a Spanish zoologist who led multiple expeditions into the Chitral region.
Notable Expeditions
One of Magraner’s most notable expeditions took place in 1994 in the Shishi Kuh Valley. There, Magraner, Dr. Anne Mallasse, and another European associate heard strange, guttural sounds late in the evening—sounds that they attributed to a primitive voice box, possibly from the Barmanou itself.
Though it was too dark to follow the source of the sounds, the team gathered testimonies from local villagers.
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They were shown drawings of primitive humans from Magraner’s ID kit, and many locals identified the Barmanou as resembling the Minnesota Iceman (a creature frozen in a block of ice and famously exhibited in the 1960s).
Some locals also claimed to have seen a foul-smelling, bipedal creature in the area.
The team also discovered footprints in the region—much larger than those of any known local animal. These findings suggested that some form of bipedal, Neanderthal-like creature could be moving through the mountains.
Unsolved Mysteries
In 1995, the popular TV show Unsolved Mysteries aired a segment on the Minnesota Iceman, which led to a tip from Pakistan. The informant claimed that a similar creature to the Iceman had been buried in Pakistan, hinting at a possible connection to the Barmanou.
Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman (who was consulted for the episode) followed up on this lead. Unfortunately, no substantial evidence was found to support the claim.
He, however, claimed that he:
“[…] collected more than fifty firsthand sighting accounts, and all eyewitnesses recognized the reconstruction of Heuvelman’s homo pongoides. They picked out homo pongoides as their match to Barmanu from Magraner’s ID kit of drawings of apes, fossil men, aboriginals, monkeys, and the Minnesota Iceman.”
Is the Barmanou Real?
Despite all these investigations, no concrete physical evidence has been found to prove the existence of the Barmanou.
Researchers found footprints and documented eyewitness accounts and even strange noises. But no bones, photographs, or biological samples have ever been collected.
The truth is that a lack of physical evidence is the common challenge with most cryptids. Particularly in the case of those who, like the Barmanou, may hide in regions that are difficult to explore.
The Chitral and Karakoram mountains are rugged, sparsely populated, and hard to navigate. In these conditions, any search for the Barmanou becomes extremely expensive. And potentially dangerous.
Another obstacle is the political instability that has plagued the region (especially during the 1990s and early 2000s). Magraner himself fell victim to these circumstances.
In 2002, Magraner was staying in a remote village in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province (right at the border with Pakistan’s Chitral region). Over the years, the political situation in the area had worsened.
Following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, the region was increasingly unstable. Militants and warlords fought for control, and foreigners often felt victims of this struggle.
Unfortunately, in August 2002, Magraner was murdered under mysterious circumstances. Some reports suggest that a local assistant may have been involved in his death. However, the exact reasons remain unclear.
Despite all these, locals and cryptozoologists remain convinced that Barmanou is real. Some even suggest that the Barmanou—like the Yeti or Bigfoot—might be a remnant of an ancient species.
